Laser Devices and Technology

Research activity

The main scientific interests of the Department are novel solid-state laser materials and laser systems; promising specular optical systems; devices and technologies for high-precision processing of the glass and single crystals surfaces; optical-electronic devices for Earth remote sensing. Department has a tight scientific relations withScientificResearchCenterfor Optical Materials and Technologies of BNTU (RSC OMT). It is the leading scientific organization in the sphere of laser materials and solid-state lasers. Center provides the laboratory basis for student research efforts and for preparation of the diploma papers.

The main scientific interests of the Department are as follows:

• Novel solid-state laser materials and laser systems;
• Promising specular optical systems;
• Devices and technologies for high-precision processing of glass and single crystals surfaces;
• Optoelectronic devices for remote sensing of the Earth.

The Department closely cooperates with the BNTU Research Center for Optical Materials and Technologies, which is the leading scientific center in the field of novel laser materials and solid-state lasers. The BNTU students have a wonderful opportunity to traing, conduct research, and prepare their diploma project using the Center’s lab facilities.

The Department and the Center for Optical Materials and Technologies cooperate with leading international research centers in the field of novel laser technologies, namely with Institute of General  Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences; Institute of Laser Physics, Hamburg University;  St. Andrews University (UK), Vavilov Optical State Institute (Russia, St.-Petersburg), etc. The Department researchers take part in joint projects with these institutions. 

Scientific School of Laser Materials

School founder

Prof. Dr. V. P. Mikhailov, 1985.

Team leaders:

Head of the Laser Equipment and Technology Department, N.V. Kuleshov Doctor of Science (Physics and Mathematics), Professor.

Main of research projects:

• Diode-pumped solid-state lasers, including femtosecond lasers;
• Novel materials for diode-pumped solid-state lasers based on single crystals with impurity centers;
• Solid-state passive shutters for Q-switching and mode-locking of lasers;
• Ultrafast optical phenomena in single crystals and low-dimensional semiconductor structures;
• Laser materials processing.

Research staff:

• 12 researchers, including 3 Professors and 4 PhDs;
• 5 persons younger than 35 years old.

Main scientific results:

• Spectroscopy of excited states of rare earth and transition metal ions in crystals and low-dimensional semiconductor structures in dielectric hosts, including study of induced absorption with picosecond and femtosecond temporal resolution;
• Novel laser materials for diode-pumped lasers;
• Femtosecond lasers based on novel materials;
• Novel solid-state passive laser shutters based on the crystals doped with transition metal ions for solid-state lasers emitting in the infrared. These shutters are used in the remote sensors developed and manufactured in Belarus;
• Novel solid-state laser shutters based on glasses with low-dimensional semiconductor structures for mode-locking of solid-state lasers. These shutters are designed for industrial lasers emitting ultrashort pulses.

Commercially-successful projects:

• 1 μm cw solid-state diode-pumped ytterbium laser (in cooperation with JSC "Peleng»);
• 1.5 μm pulsed passively Q-switched diode-pumped solid-state laser (in cooperation with STC "LEMT", BelOMO);

Scientific publications:

More than 180 articles in the peer-reviewed scientific journals

Scientific collaboration:

• Institutes of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus: Institute of Physics, Scientific and Practical Materials Research Center;
• Institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences: General Physics Institute, Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Institute for Laser Physics (Siberian Branch);
• Vavilov Optical State Institute, St Petersburg, Russia;
• Institute of Laser Physics, Hamburg University, Germany;
• School of Physics & Astronomy, St Andrews University, UK;
• NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.